         (nil? (:english word)))
    ".."
 
-    (= (get-in word '(:infl)) :infinitive)
+   (and (= true (get-in word [:exception] false))
+        ;; for exceptions, lexical compilation sets [:exception] to true
+        ;; and the :english is the inflected irregular form which does not need further conjugation/inflection.
+        (string? (get-in word [:english])))
+   (get-in word [:english])
+
+   (= (get-in word '(:infl)) :infinitive)
     (if (string? (get-in word '(:english)))
       (str "to " (get-in word '(:english)))
       (exception (str "don't know how to find infinitive for word: " word)))

           (str stem-minus-one "ied")  ;; "try"->"tried"

           true
           (str stem "ed"))) ;; "play"->"played"

   (and
    (= :present (get-in word '(:infl)))
    (string? (get-in word '(:english))))


   (= word :top)
   ".."
   
   (and (map? word)
        (nil? (:a word))
        (nil? (:b word))
